by Pirateaba
One of the buildings, an apartment, was fully aflame. Zel could hear people screaming inside, but he had no time to go to them. Ikriss was standing in the center of the street. He had erected walls of stone around him and was standing in front of some glowing runes. Ilvriss raised his sword and walked to one side of the street. Zel advanced on the other.
“Surrender now and we won’t kill you, traitor!”
Ilvriss roared at the other mage. The Drake smiled, his face glowing in the light from his staff.
“My duty is to keep you here. Or kill you. I think I can, no matter what I have been told about you, Shivertail.”
He raised his staff and pointed. Zel had been waiting for this moment and dove to one side. He felt something burn his leg and rolled upright. Ilvriss was charging the mage. He stepped onto the first rune and the ground exploded.
“Ilvriss!”
The Lord of the Wall charged through the smoke, one of his amulets shining like the sun. More wards exploded around him and he lunged at Ikriss, too fast for the mage to dodge. His blade cut into the other Drake’s stomach—
And Ikriss vanished. The illusion that had been him faded and Zel cursed. He looked around and heard Ikriss’ voice everywhere.
“Warriors are such simple creatures. They shoot arrows, swing a sword—what can you do against illusions? Without magic, nothing. You are nothing, Zel Shivertail.”
Something—Zel turned, and Ilvriss appeared. This time, the fireball blasted Zel straight in the chest. He vanished, and Ikriss grinned as the explosion of fire destroyed half the street.
Someone walked through the flames. A claw sliced through the second illusion of Ikriss. Zel coughed and felt the fire and his melted breastplate burning his scales. They burned, like putting his claws on a hot kettle or a stovetop. He coughed, looking around for the [Mage].
“You may be right. We warriors don’t have the same tricks mages do. But we don’t die easily, either.”
Ilvriss was cursing, raising one of his rings and shouting into it. Screams echoed from the burning building. Zel heard a child’s voice. He waited, his blood boiling.
The Drake [Mage] reappeared at the other end of the street, no longer smiling. He stared at Zel.
“…That’s cheating.”
Zel didn’t reply back. He charged, and Ikriss began casting spells at both Ilvriss and Zel. The night was full of death. Zel prayed the Gold-rank adventurers could handle Regrika Blackpaw. Ikriss was far too strong to be merely Gold-rank. He had to hope that they could defeat her, Named Adventurer or not.
He roared as he charged and Ikriss’ eyes grew wide. The mage turned and vanished. A Golem rose, shaping itself out of the flagstones and broken earth. Zel sunk a claw into its side and ripped a chunk of it away. He should have been fighting Blackpaw. She was too strong. That was what his [Dangersense] was telling him. Too strong for Gold-rank adventurers.
Far too strong.
—-
Erin had seen Gazi Pathseeker fight, once. She had deflected arrows from every angle, fought a group of Guardsmen and not taken a single scratch. That was what made her a Named Adventurer. In Regrika’s case, it was not her sight. It was her limitless, contemptuous strength.
She could not be stopped. Her sword bit through a table Seborn was using as cover and the [Rogue] leapt. She slashed at his back and the Drowned Man blurred, using a Skill to get out of range in time. Moore swung his staff and Regrika raised her shield to block. She slashed, and he blocked.
The impact of sword meeting staff was thunder in the common room of the inn. Moore’s huge arms strained and he grunted from the impact. He jabbed at Regrika with his staff, and she dodged the blow. She opened up his arm with one cut. He cried out, a loud, painful voice.
“Moore!”
Someone shouted his name. Regrika turned and Erin stared, holding a chair in her hands, about to throw. Jelaqua Ivirith charged into Regrika from behind, her flail’s two heads spinning into the Gnoll’s back. The top of Jelaqua’s head from her eyebrows up was gone, but the Selphid moved as if she were entirely whole. No blood ran from her wound. And the inside of the head was…empty.
“Selphids.”
That was all Regrika said. She backhanded Jelaqua with a shield and sent the Selphid tumbling backwards, unconcious. Moore was backed into a wall. He tensed as she turned, and thrust his staff into the ground.
A wall of earth shot up, breaking the floorboards and blocking him from Regrika. She slashed through the earth, sending it spraying and found—
A hole. Moore crashed through the wall, spraying glass and wood as he leapt into the snow outside. The Gnoll laughed. She whirled, and a fireball engulfed her in an explosion. When she appeared out of the smoke her shield was raised.
And she was unharmed.
“Dead gods take it all!”
Typhenous screamed and then paled as he realized Regrika was running towards him. He raised his staff.
“Halrac! [Astral Binding]!”
Shimmering ties of light shot out and constricted Regrika. For a moment. She tore through them and found Typhenous rushing for the door. She ran after him.
“Stop.”
Two arrows broke on her back. Regrika’s fur burned. A bit of lightning crackled over her armor. She turned her head and smiled at Halrac.
“You cannot harm me. I am perfection.”
A pot bounced off the back of her head. Halrac stood up, six feet away from Regrika. His eyes were burning as he pulled an arrow with a black tip from his quiver and set it to his bow.
“I will kill you.”
“Try.”
She lunged at him. Erin screamed as Halrac dodged sideways. Like Seborn he used a Skill—but it wasn’t enough. The sword missed, but Regrika kicked him as he passed. The impact sent Halrac crashing into one wall. Erin heard his ribs break.
“No! No, no, no! Stop!”
She charged Regrika with a knife. She heard Seborn shout at her. She didn’t care. The knife slashed at Regrika’s arm as the Gnoll looked at her. It felt as though Erin were cutting at a rock. Her kitchen knife did no damage to the Gnoll.
Erin knew it wouldn’t. Nothing she’d thrown had worked. Halrac’s arrows hadn’t worked. So she dropped the knife and clenched a fist.
“[Minotaur Punch]!”
She threw it with all her strength. Regrika’s face was almost too high for Erin to reach. Her fist struck the Gnoll’s chin and Erin felt the impact travel down her arm. Regrika stared down at her.
And smiled.
Pain. Erin felt as though she had hit a rock. She raised her left arm and punched again.
“[Minotaur Punch]!”
A second blow. This time Erin felt and heard something crunch in her hands. She didn’t care. She punched again.
“[Minotaur Punch]! [Minotaur Punch]! [Minotaur—]”
Her right hand broke. Erin cried out as she felt her fingers break. Blood seeped through her torn skin. And Regrika stood in front of her. Unhurt. She raised both her arms upwards and stood tall. Her bloody sword and shield pointed towards the ceiling as the Gnoll posed.
Like a statue. She let Erin hit her, cut at her, ignoring her. Smiling. Seborn appeared behind her and slashed. His knives dug into her arm, cutting. Regrika stood through it all and then looked down at Erin. Her eyes were contemptuous.
“Insignificant.”
The room was emptying. Moore had vanished. Typhenous had fled. Seborn vanished as Regrika turned away from Erin. The girl was crying, her hands dripping with blood. Regrika was unharmed save for a bloodless cut on her legs and scratches on the rest of her body. She looked around for her next victim and found him standing across the inn, next to the door.
Halrac’s bow was raised. He had a single arrow drawn to his chest. His eyes were locked on Regrika.
“[Piercing Shot].”
The arrow struck her in the chest as Regrika covered her face, slipping underneath her guard. There was a crack that made Erin’s ears ring. The arrow that hit Regri
ka did not explode, or break, or do anything else. But it pierced Regrika’s armor. It buried itself halfway into her chest.
The Gnoll blinked down at the arrow. Halrac lowered his bow, staring. There was no blood coming from her wound. And Regrika didn’t seem hurt, just surprised. She stared at the arrow and slowly drew it out of her. It snapped in her hands and she touched the hole in her chest.
Bloodless. But it had broken her armor. When she looked up. Regrika’s smile was gone. Her eyes were filled with fury.
“You hurt me. Me!”
Halrac’s second arrow was explosive. As the Gnoll lunged, the force of it blew Erin off her feet. She got up, ears ringing. Regrika’s armor cracked. The metal fractured slightly from the explosion. Erin stared. Did metal do that?
The Gnoll screamed in fury and charged Halrac. He dove towards the open door. She charged after him.
“Halrac!”
Erin tried to go after him. Her hands were nothing but pain, but she had to do something!
“Don’t go after him! Help me up!”
Someone shouted at her from behind. Erin turned. Who had spoken? Jelaqua was passed out on the ground. Seborn had vanished. Moore and Typhenous had fled and Halrac was running too. Then who—
A hand shot up. Erin stared in horror. Revi’s arm moved as her head turned towards Erin. That was one part of her torso. Her other arm and the rest of her body lay on the ground, cleanly separated by Regrika’s blade.
“Don’t just stand there you idiot! Help me before that monster comes back!”
That broke the paralysis. Erin rushed over to Revi. All of the Stitch-Girl’s summoned minions were gone, destroyed by Regrika, but their armor and weapons lay scattered around her. Revi’s head looked up at Erin. There was pain in her eyes, but she still spoke.
“Sew me up! There’s a needle in my pockets. Don’t worry about neatness, just get me together. Now!”
“But how—I thought—”
“You can’t kill a Stitch-Girl with a sword! Hurry! Halrac’s running for his life. If that Gnoll catches him—”
Erin fumbled for Revi’s pocket. She stabbed the needle deep into her finger when she found it, and barely noticed the pain. Her right hand was useless. Her left…Revi cursed at her as Erin clumsily pulled one of the threads through the needle. Each second felt like forever.
“Hurry, hurry, hurry! If she comes back—”
A heavy tread. Erin froze and Revi’s eyes went wide. Regrika appeared in the doorway, smiling. Only this time fury was in her eyes.
“Clever. The rats have fled. They jumped down a hole in the snow. Into a dungeon. But you? You’re still here. And I can kill you.”
She pointed at Revi. The [Summoner] went very pale. One of her hands grabbed Erin’s needle and began to stitch the rest of her body together as Erin rose.
“I won’t let—”
Regrika shoved Erin aside. Erin grabbed at her, trying to pull her back. Her feet skidded across the broken floor as Regrika walked over to Revi. The Stitch-Girl was nearly complete, but she still couldn’t move her lower half. She looked up, eyes full of fear. Regrika grinned.
“Please step away from the guest.”
Someone spoke. Regrika whirled and stared. Erin turned. A figure was standing in the doorway with a drawn bow. For a second Erin’s mind saw Halrac, and then the figure moved and she realized it wasn’t him.
It was Bird. Two of his arms held the bow, his other two held something in his hands. He was alone, and he stared at Regrika. She stared back.
“An Antinium?”
He nodded.
“I am Bird. I am a guard at the inn.”
The Gnoll smiled.
“A dead one. You should have fled.”
“I was asleep.”
The Gnoll blinked. Bird looked past her and at Erin.
“I was asleep in my tower. I woke up to hunt birds. I assume that this person is a danger to you and or the residents of your inn?”
Erin stared at him. Regrika stared at him. Revi took the moment to keep stitching her torso together. The Antinium waited and then turned to Regrika.
“Know that I am obliged to hurt you with brutal force. You are not a bird, so I will shoot you and not eat you. Unless you are tasty.”
The Gnoll stared at him. Then she began to walk towards him. Bird loosed the arrow. It snapped as it struck her between the eyes. The Antinium paused.
“Ah. I saw that happen earlier too. I woke up and watched the battle, by the way.”
“You cannot harm me.”
Regrika’s voice was arrogance, her stride lazy as she crossed the inn towards the Antinium. Bird nodded.
“I noticed. This is my tactical analysis of what I should do in a situation like this.”
His other two hands rose. They were holding something. A bucket. Bird hurled it at Regrika. She didn’t block it. The dark liquid splashed over her and Regrika stopped. Erin froze. She couldn’t see well in the darkness, but she could smell it. Bird turned.
“That was feces from the outhouse. I gathered it. It is an antagonistic action meant to irritate. I am bait. The poo is not from birds, by the way.”
He ran out the door. Regrika was staring at the excrement covering her body. She brushed off a clump, and then she went insane.
“You have disgraced my image! You! I will kill you!”
She rushed out the door. Erin turned to Revi. The Stitch-Girl shouted at her.
“Hurry! I can’t reach my back!”
This time Erin plunged the needle into the cloth as fast as she could. When the last clumsy stitch was in place, the cloth lower half became real. Revi gasped, sat up.
“We have to run. Where’s the back door?”
“I don’t have one!”
“The hole, then. Corusdeer!”
She raised the bit of horn in her hands and a spectral deer cantered into focus. Revi leapt onto its back and extended a hand.
“Come on! We’re dead if she comes back!”
“I can’t. I can’t run away from her! She killed—”
Erin choked on the words. She killed Brunkr. And Ulrien. Revi slapped her.
“You can’t save anyone if you’re dead! Come on!”
“She won’t hurt me. I don’t think she can. I don’t know why.”
Erin replied numbly. It wasn’t just her instincts that were telling her this. Regrika had ignored her several times. Erin didn’t know why, but she felt certain that she was safe. She, and she alone.
Revi opened her mouth, and then paused. There was crunching outside, the same footfalls. She paled and the summoned Corusdeer swung around. Revi shot through the hole Moore had made. Erin turned.
Regrika walked back through the doorway. She stank. Her eyes were blazing, but there was no broken chitin on her blade or the Antinium’s green blood. Erin stared at Regrika. The Gnoll paused as she stepped through the broken inn. She looked around for Revi and then at Erin.
“I will remember you. And I will come back. I will slaughter all those who were here. The mages, the Selphid, the [Scout] and the Antinium. They will all suffer.”
“Who are you?”
Erin spoke quietly. She looked Regrika in the eye. The Gnoll laughed.
“I was sent here by my master for one reason. To kill Ryoka Griffin.”
She turned to the door leading to Celum. Erin felt her heart stop. She blocked Regrika’s way. The Gnoll shoved Erin aside.
“Stop! No! You can’t!”
Erin battered at her, but again, it was useless. She tried to pull Regrika back with her good hand. It was impossible. She grabbed onto the Gnoll’s leg, tried to pull her back using a table as an anchor. The table jerked across the ground and Erin felt her arm being pulled out of its socket. Regrika didn’t slow. She opened the door and looked down at Erin as the girl clung to her with all her strength.
“I do not see why he values you. You are pathetic. And you cannot stop me. No one can.”
She bent and contemptuously prised E
rin’s hand from her leg without effort. Then she stepped through the door to Celum. It swung shut behind her.
And then she was gone.
—-
The fight in the inn had taken less than half an hour. Celum was quiet when Venitra strode out of Octavia’s alchemy shop, smashing through her window without bothering to use the door. Those who were on the streets did not pay much attention to the Gnoll until they saw her bloody sword and raised the alarm.
In Liscor, the night was broken by shouts and howling. Zel Shivertail dove to the side as a bolt of crackling red lightning shot down the street, nearly missing him. The electricity arced and struck his breastplate, making him hiss, but most of the energy grounded itself harmlessly on a metal railing of one of the houses.
“Ancestors damn it! Where the hell is he?”
Zel roared at a Drake taking cover behind him. Ilvriss glared and raised his sword as he peeked around the side of a wall.
“I don’t know! My amulet has a radius of about ten feet. I can’t search while that traitor’s blasting me with spells!”
The two Drakes ducked as another spell—a boulder thrown by magic—crashed near their position. Zel looked around. The street was a disaster area, and Ikriss was standing in the center of it, raining spells down on their position.
Only, it wasn’t Ikriss. There was another Drake mage with purple scales standing on a rooftop, and another in the doorway of a building. The [Mage] had created multiple copies of himself, all illusions, and it was impossible to tell which was which.
“They might all be illusions out there! We need a [Mage] to dispel the illusions or we’ll be chasing our tails until that bastard gets us! Where’s the Watch? Where are your helpers?”
Zel shouted at Ilvriss. The Lord of the Wall cursed.
“Behind one of the walls, or fighting one of the Golems that was summoned! We have to either break an opening or—incoming!”
Both Drakes had heard the whistling noise at the same time. They abandoned their hiding spot as a boulder fell down from above. Ikriss pointed and Zel saw more hovering boulders in the sky. The Drake [Mage] had figured out that spells were ineffectual against both Zel and Ilvriss and had decided to crush them instead.